The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1887-10-14

death.
"How loved, how honOred, once avails
thee not,
10 whom related or by whom begot;
A heap Of dust alone remains of thee,
IT'S all thou art, and all the proud should
be-"
When l saw the tomb a bouunet
Of fresh flowers was lying upon It,
aud learned that nearly every div
this occurs, and the tomb is seldom
without its tribute of flowers except
IN the extreme wintry months.
There Is no man or woman AIexan-
dRia. born who will not readily re
c0unt TO you the legend OF the Fe-
male Stranger, but they differ es-
sentially in minor details, aud In.
deed in some of the principal points.
One thing Is sure; the woman who
was buried there Was unknown in
Alexandria, as was the man who
clalued to be her husband. They
came to Alexandra upon foreign
vessel aud took quarters at the lead
ing hotel. She was beauritnl
young girl, and he was a h1ndsome
and distinguished looking man.
They had one servant, aud gave ev
cry evidence Ot being people of high
rauk aud great wealth. The old Ie
gendS OF Alexandria are sill tuIl OF
the stories, dlmmed by iStauce in
time, OF her beauty, her jewels, aud
her magnificent wardrobe. The
two had the best quarters in the hO.
tel; nothing that money could bay
did they deny themselves, but they
absolutely refused to make any ac-
qnaintances or 10 give any clrw to
their identity, and all Inducements
to the valet who accompanied them
were in vain. He would never
speak, aud nothing could be gath
cred about them beyond the belief
that they were English iu blood aud
noble in rank. The ship they came
III bad sailed away, and her people
knew as little about her as the
Alexandria folks did, aud with her
departure all clue 10 them was lost.
ONE VERSION OF THE LEGEND.
One gentleman tells me that his
mother often told him the story OF
the beautiful Female Stranger, aud
be had heard it told hundreds of
times. His mother and graHdmorh-
er united Ia declaring her IA very
beautiful woman, kind aud gracious,
evidently bOrn lady. They say
SHE aud the gentleman with her
were English in appearance. She
was above Medium height, with full,
vOluptu0us figure aud massive
blonde hair. Her eyes were large
ana expressive, heI mouth paiticn-
laTly small and sweet. Her m nner,
while di2nitied, WAS coudpscenling
and Peasant, aud as she drove
about Alexandria no person ever
appealed in vain for charity. To
charitable organizations she gave
liherIlly, bur refused To attend any
meetings or receive any visitors.
Her husband, tor So he declares
himself upon the tombstone, bebav
ed mnCh after the same manner
he was haudsOme, stately and dig
nitie i, aud charmed all those who
came in contact with him 10y his
manners, wit and gOod breeding.
But all The meeting there was bp-
tween them aud the people OF Alex
andria Was such as came bv chance
and could not be avoided.
Five mouths after they came 10
Alexandria. the young wife brcamr
I'll With Que OF those low ft.l ers Inr-
culiar 10 newly settled country,
aud died. This appears TO br thu
general opinion, but there are those
who baye il that she died OF child
birth.
Whenever The physician was
present either the buS1and or valet
was also present. She WAS never
allowed To he alone With any person
'xcrpI those accompanying her, aud
" Nhrn she ,lied she lay IN the arms
It her husband with his lips pressed
% hers.
Only he aud the valet were PIES
mt To bury her. he sought The
nleaSan spot Whete the tomb now
stands, upOn high gronud, aud al
ready taken tOr cemetery by st.
PaufS Church. He aud the valet
were the Only mOurneIs. lie stay eel
long euOagI t,i order aud see com
plrtrd aud placed over the grave
tue elaborate aud handsome tablei
As it nov stands. lett sun OF
money To keep It 10 repair iUr u
number OF years, with The promise
that be would come again or send |
money when thai was exprnded,
took ship aud sailed away aud vas
never heard OF after.
That is the straight history OF tue
Female Stranger, as near as u can
be given from legend. files OF papers
and general report. There are those
who assert that perS0us who saw
The gentleman in Alexandria after
Eards saw him iR New Orleans, and
some even say that be came to
Alexandria years afterwards aud
visited the grave Of his vile.
THE MYSTERY OF THE TOMB.
Another story pretty we'll believ-
a in, ami coming dOwn from rrlia-
bic authority, is that one eveniugs
re<rei, evidently = forrign mau-0i
var, anchored just below Alexan.
iria. Daring the night the con-